CEO document contents:
Document Reference: IPA/IN/666 Issue: Draft 42 Date: 15/04/83 No of Pages 4.
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Author(s): Kurt Jenner Status: Definitive
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Summary:
This IN describes the "API Contracept Strategy" which is the exact
Converse of the "IPA Intercept Strategy." Various contracept methods
are described, and it is concluded that an "Exocept" (Counter
Contracept) Strategy may be based on a recognition of these.
1. INTRODUCTION
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The IPA Intercept Strategy has been widely publicised. It also appears
that many other organisations are taking a similar approach to
OSI Standardisation.
However, it has been discovered that some organisations are also practising
the converse of this: the API (Active Prevention of Inter-working)
Contracept Strategy. This little known strategy is operated secretly but
most effectively, and the purpose of this IN is to bring some of its
method out into the open where they can be recognised for what they are.
2. THE CONCEPTION
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The development of International Standards can be likened to the events of
conception, pregnancy and birth. At the outset, the decision to produce a
standard is made. There then follows frantic activity during which many
organisations compete to develop the standard. An International Standard
can usually trace many ancestors in its genes. Eventually the standard
is born and is given a name, which is generally quite prosaic but
interestingly is always called after the mother. The gestation period of
an International Standard depends on its mother and may be up to 5 years.
Many organisations develop their own standards, but the chief International
ones are ISO, CCITT, ECMA and ANSI. The prime focus for OSI Standardisation,
ISO (Internecine Strife Organisation), sees the effect of both Intercept and
Contracept Strategies; it is not accidental that "ISO" is "OSI" backwards.
One body that is very effective in getting its own way is CCITT
(Comit'e pour Conformance aux Ide'es T'el'ephiniques Totale).
However, ECMA (Effective Contracept Methods Association), provides an
excellent counter to CCITT activities.
ANSI (American Nexus for Sub-committees In-fighting) finds itself
in the middle of opposing CCITT-like and ECMA-like views.
3. METHODS
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3.1 Sterilisation
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The intention here is to prevent rival organisations from producing any
useful ideas. As a rule this only delays rather than prevents effective
output, but time is of the essence in Standardisation work. Sterilisation
methods require attendance at rival organisation meetings.
Some techniques used are:
- bogging down the meeting by discussing trivia and causing
diversions onto irrelevant topics.
- introducing contributions from other organisations and insisting
that they be evaluated for consistency with the work of the
organisation itself.
- sending enough people to the meeting to ensure that promising
ideas are voted down.
3.2 Abstinence
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This method aims to ensure the involuntary absence of rival
organisations from important meetings. This is generally not a reliable
method, but is practised because of its unsettling side-effects.
Its techniques include:
- holding meetings in inconvenient places (e.g. on the other side
of the world)
- choosing meeting times to clash with those of rival organisations.
3.3 Rhythm Method
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This method is widely practised, but is not effective for contracept
purposes on its own. The essence of it is that regular attendance
(hence the name) is made at the meetings of rival organisations. The
result is insinuation into the organisation so that its members forget
that the insinuator is an outsider. The ultimate success of the Rhythm
Method is being appointed as Secretary (which is a good position to be
in if facts or views have to be distorted) or even as Chairman.
3.4 Withdrawal
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This is a very risky contracept tactic and requires considerable courage.
The principle is to withdraw totally from a discussion which is leading
to contrary ideas. If done properly, it not only undermines the
confidence of the others in the idea being debated, but also gives the
"agent-provocateur" a chance to sow the seeds of dissension elsewhere
in other sub-groups.
3.5 The Sheath
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The SHEATH (System for Harassment of Enemies and Tying their Hands) is
reasonably reliable if used properly. When attempts to prevent a rival
organisation from developing and bringing its own ideas to a meeting
have been unsuccesful, then various methods of frustrating effective
delivery of these ideas are available:
- ensuring that the rival organisation does not get a fair hearing
(it helps to be Chairman of the meeting !)
- splitting the meeting into more sub-groups than there are members
attending from the rival organisations so that their contributions
are dissipated.
3.6 The Cap
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As a fall-back position it is possible to use the CAP (Competitor
Annihalation Programme), although it must be applied only after the
situation has been carefully sized up. The intention is to ensure that
cometitive ideas, although properly presented, fall on deaf ears. To
arrange this takes real skill, but some ploys are:
- lobbying people before the meeting to make sure that their minds are
already made up
- diminishing the status of contributions by contriving that they are
given as individual rather than organisation positions
- arranging for rival contributions to be made just after lunch or as
late as possible (once again, being Chairman helps !)
3.7 The IUD
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IUD (Insidious Undermining of Discussion) methods come into play when,
despite all endeavours described above, a rival idea has taken root.
The best option in this case is to cause so much confusion that the idea
is swamped and forgotten. The techniques of Sterilisation (section 3.1)
are relevant here although in a different context, but some specialised
IUD tactics are:
- querying definitions and terminology with a view to ensuring that
everyone doubts that he understands what anyone is talking about
- quibbling over editorial niceties and getting the original ideas lost
in a discussion of their form not their content.
3.8 The Pill
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The PILL (Permanent Interference with Likely Leaders) is the summation
of all the contracept methods described in previous sections. It is very
demanding to sustain this, but more importantly not to get caught doing
it. However, as the very lack of recognition of contracept techniques
demonstrates, the PILL can be employed effectively and indetectably over
a long period of time.
One particular development of the PILL demands description. This is the
Morning-After PILL, which is administered after the event if all else
has failed. No reliable method has been found of frustrating an idea
once it has been accepted, but research into this possibility is
continuing.
4. THE CONTRACEPT STRATEGY
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The Contracept Strategy may be applied at three levels. First of all it
may be used against competitive developments' at an early stage.
Secondly, it may be used to make others aware of the problem and help
defeat it.
Finally it may be used to make sure that rival ideas are not brought
to fruition. This culminates in a triple contracept. It is analogous
to deciding which horse should lose, backing against it and nobbling it.
5. CONCLUSION
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This document has aired some of the methods of the Contracept Strategy.
By doing so, it is hoped that it has brought this subterfuge to light
and may form the basis of an Exocept (counter-contracept) Strategy.
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Peter Bennett internet: peter@rabbit.europe.dg.com
Data General Limited. Parkway 2, CEO: Peter Bennett:DGE
Parkway Business Centre, voice: 061 958 3000
Princess Rd., Manchester M14 7LY fax: 061 958 3030
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